Bengaluru, Sep 11(PTI) Former Karnataka Chief Minister
and JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday cited "no
invitation" as the reason for his absence from the protest
rally organised here by several Vokkaliga outfits against the
arrest of senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar.

Thousands of people, mostly from the Vokkaliga
community, thronged the state capital to express solidarity
with Shivakumar, an influential senior Karnataka Congress
leader and former Minister.

Kumaraswamy, who also hails from the community, was
conspicuous by his absence at the protest that was largely
seen as as a show of stregth of the community, dominant in old
Mysuru or southern Karnataka region.

"We have asked our people to extend support (for the
protest), our party (JDS) workers have also participated,"
Kumaraswamy said in response to a question about his absence.

Speaking to reporters in Channapatna, he, however,
struck a discordant note.

"I had no invitation. I have already said this
programme (at Channapatna) was pre-scheduled. They have
conducted it (protest) in a hurry, without bringing to my
notice. If I was informed I would also have participated,"
Kumaraswamy said.

Shivakumar was arrested on September 3 by the
Enforcement Directorate in a case of alleged money laundering
and has been in the custody of the agency since then.

Shivakumar was a key minister in the Congress-JDS
coalition government headed by Kumaraswamy that collapsed
after losing majority in July, paving the way for the
installation of the BJP regime.

Stating that he had seen an advertisement stating that
attempts were being made to fix Kumaraswamy also, the former
Chief Minister said, no one can fix him, as he has not
committed any such mistake.

"I want to tell the person who has given the
advertisement also. They (BJP or central government) cannot
fix me. I have not given any opportunity for such mistakes in
my life," Kumaraswamy said.

The Vokkaliga community is considered to be the strong
vote bank of Kumaraswamy's JDS in its bastion of old Mysuru
region, where Congress is its arch-rival.

The BJP considers the other dominant community
Lingayats as its strong support base.

Lingayats, the community to which Chief Minister B S
Yediyurappa belongs to, are predominantly present in northern
and central parts of the state.